There’s great news for golfers who would like to have an affordable membership that offers privileges at two of the best golf courses in the state.

Pine Needles and Mid Pines, two acclaimed Donald Ross designs located across Midland Road from each other, are now joined in one membership program, according to an announcement released May 26.

Pine Needles, which hosted U.S. Women’s Opens in 1996, 2001 and 2007, is offering its new membership program to past resort guests, Southern Pines area golfers and friends of the resort. Also available are Sandhills memberships, corporate memberships, Junior Executive memberships and social memberships for locals. The club is also offering a variety of nonresident memberships to include North Carolina, National/North American and overseas memberships.

According to the statement, members at Pine Needles will enjoy unlimited golf at the club and access to Mid Pines with no green fees, 28-day advance tee time reservations in member blocks, use of the practice facility and use of the outdoor swimming pool and grass and hard tennis courts.

The club will also offer preferred pricing in the golf shops, restaurants, lodging, golf instruction and guest of member fees, plus an array of member tournaments and social events.

“In many ways, the membership program is returning to our roots,” said president Kelly Miller. “Mid Pines was founded in 1921 as a membership by invitation club and in 1928, Pine Needles was designed to be a resort club with play limited to invited members and those staying at the Pine Needles Inn.

“Now, almost 80 years later, we begin the return to the original vision of the Tufts family, the founders of our properties. Our goal is to have a great club. And a great club is made up of great golf, a caring staff and great members.”

Miller also announced that Pine Needles is planning a renovated fitness center as well as a new outdoor dining café for members and guests, both scheduled to open later this year.

The club is also offering Bell memberships in all categories for those who join by July 31. Bell memberships are named after the family matriarch and LPGA and teaching legend Peggy Kirk Bell. Bell members enjoy lower initiation fees and other joining gifts. All membership initiation fees are partially refundable should members choose to leave the club during their first three years of membership.

For information, contact Kristen Klauder at (910) 693-3250 or visit the website at www.pineneedlesclub.com.

Publinx Qualifier: The Carolinas Golf Association will stage a qualifying tournament at Hyland Golf Club for golfers attempting to earn berths in the USGA Pubic Links Championship that will be held at Bryan Park in Greensboro July 12-17.

The field at Hyland on June 21-22 will feature 61 players from the Carolinas and Virginias as well as from South Dakota, Illinois and Alabama.

Robert Riesen and Robert Hoadley are among several local players who will vie for berths. Hoadley goes off at 10:10 a.m. with Riesen teeing off at 10:40. Others entered include John Gillespie and Charles Lineberger, both of Pinehurst, and Steve DeBolt, of Whispering Pines.

White Named: Hannah White has been selected to represent The First Tee of the Sandhills chapter in the Life Skills Academy for participants and coaches in Manhattan, Kan., according to executive director Bill Baker. White will attend the academy July 13-20.

Tin Whistles: The team of Dave Brown, Ed Guidice, Phil Husted and Joe Mills posted a Stableford score of 138 to win the Tin Whistles event held at Pinehurst No. 3 May 29.

Peyton Cook, Gene Danneberg, Ray Fletcher and Sam Sayers were second with 134, followed by Larry Harter, Walt Hess, Ed Renner and Don Torgersen with 132.

Woof-Woof: The second annual Woof-Woof Open will be held June 26-27 at Longleaf Country Club and The Pit Golf Links.

The tournament benefits the Pooch Park in the Pines, the Moore County Humane Society’s fenced dog park, a leash-free park for canines and their owners.

The Saturday event at Longleaf is a two-best-balls of four, while Sunday’s tournament at The Pit is a step aside Woof-Woof scramble. Teams may consist of men, women or be mixed. Shotgun starts are at 8:30 a.m. both days.

The entry fee is $75 for each day or $125 for golfers desiring to play both days. Each player receives two complimentary green fees at Longleaf and two green fees for The Pit per day of play for a total of eight green fees.

Entry forms are available at local golf shops, The Pilot, radio stations Star102FM and WIOZAM, or online at www.moorehumane.org.

CPGA Staff: Mike Whitenack has joined the Carolinas PGA section as tournament official. Duties include supervising the office administration of playing ability tests, aiding in the day-to-day operations necessary for all major and senior events, supervising the execution and planning of junior tournaments including the Carolinas Junior PGA Championship, and administering the rules of golf on-site at all Carolinas PGA major tournaments.

Whitenack is a 2006 graduate of James Madison University with B.S. degrees in Sport and Recreation Management and Business Management. He interned with the Middle Atlantic PGA Section that summer. There, he assisted in the operation and administration of the Junior Golf Tour.